Japan sets up reconstruction planning structure

The government of Japan on Monday set up a key panel tasked with formulating proposals for the reconstruction of Japan’s devastated northeastern areas following a catastrophic earthquake and ensuing tsunami a month ago.

There will thus be three different but related bodies in charge of formulating plans for Japan’s reconstruction: The Reconstruction Design Council, a new cabinet task force – in which all cabinet members will participate, and a reconstruction panel of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.

• Mainichi Daily News reports that the Reconstruction Design Council will hold its first meeting on Thursday at the premier’s office. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told a news conference that the council will prepare a set of basic proposals by around June. The 15-member council is headed by Makoto Iokibe, president of the National Defense Academy of Japan. Other members include architect Tadao Ando, scriptwriter Makiko Uchidate, Keio University head Atsushi Seike, Sony Corp. Vice Chairman Ryoji Chubachi and Takashi Mikuriya, a University of Tokyo political professor. The panel will rely on a number of experts working in different areas of reconstruction and recovery.
• The cabinet task force aims to draft a plan for reconstruction based on proposals to be submitted by the design council.
• The Democratic Party of Japan’s panel on reconstruction, which is headed by the ruling party’s Secretary General Katsuya Okada, will be in charge of coordinating relevant policies with opposition parties.